As we celebrate Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022, we’re taking a look at Kent’s royal links of past and present. As the county with the most castles in England, naturally Kent is bursting with links to British royalty and has played a part in some of British history’s most crucial moments, from the birthplace of queens to the modern royals patronages today.
Known as the ‘key to England’, this great fortress has played a crucial role in the defence of the realm for over nine centuries, a span equalled only by the Tower of London and Windsor Castle. It was King Henry II who spent vast sums transforming Dover Castle into his most powerful fortress – but it did you know it was actually a result of Thomas Becket’s murder and aftermath that caused him to devote so much time and money to his Great Tower at the centre of the castle? English Heritage tells the fascinating history of how the events unfolded here.
As the second wife to King Henry VIII and mother to Queen Elizabeth I, Anne Boleyn is one of Britain’s most famous queens, perhaps due to her sticky end - but her story begins right here in Kent. With so much written about the elusive figure, look to her childhood home of Hever Castle for their 2022 exhibition ‘Becoming Anne: Connections, Culture, Court’ to explore the factors that moulded Anne’s character and the rise of the Boleyn family – you can even take a peek at King Henry VIII’s bedchamber from their courting days.
In 1519, Henry VIII visited Penshurst Place as the guest of then-owner Edward Stafford, the Third Duke of Buckingham. The Duke, wanting to impress the King, spent an extortionate £2,500 on banquets and entertainment during the King’s visit, which equates to over £1 million in today’s money! Despite the excess, things didn’t fair well for Buckingham, and when Henry had him executed for treason in 1521, Penshurst Place became the King’s Hunting Lodge. However it is Henry’s daughter, Elizabeth I, who would go on to visit Penshurst the most, regularly holding audiences during her reign - and could see where her mother grew up, at nearby Hever.
Leeds Castle has been rolling out the red carpet for Hollywood stars to parliamentarians since it’s inception, so it’s no surprise this stunning castle has been associated with six Queens of England before Henry VIII himself transformed it from a fortified stronghold to a magnificent royal place for him and his first wife, Catherine of Aragon. During the Lady Baillie years, the new owner enlisted the desginer Stephane Boudain to create the lavish settings for it's future parties - and his other clients included the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. In these grand party years, Leeds Castle became a centre for lavish hospitality for British and European royals alike.
Recognise this guy? Yep, he's been mentioned a fair few times now! But almost all British monarchs have left their mark on UNESCO World Heritage Site Canterbury Cathedral. From King Ethelbert, the first British king to convert to Christianity, via tales of Elizabeth I's lavish birthday celebrations, the wedding of Henry III and Eleanor of Provence and Henry II's disputes with Archbishop Thomas Becket, which resulted in a shocking murder, you can now discover them all on their special guided tour telling stories of royals through the ages. Discover monarchs immortalised in stone, wood and stained glass which adorn the Cathedral's walls, including the special statues of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and HRH Prince Philip which were unveiled in 2015.
The seaside fortress of Walmer Castle is a hidden gem to many, but well known to the royals! A former home to the Duke of Wellington (the castle still houses an original pair of Wellington boots!), the most famous royal connection is their Queen Mother gardens. The Queen Mother was Lord Warden for 23 years, and this contemporary garden was created in honour of her 95th birthday. The Queen Mother declared, "I have been given many presents before, but never a garden." Featuring an elegant arched pavilion over still water and blooms throughout the season, we love this romantic and peaceful spot – and with a statue of a corgi sitting on a bench, so we know Her Majesty The Queen would approve too!
The Battle of Britain Memorial’s links with royalty go back to its unveiling in July 1993, when Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother braved storm force wind and rain on the helicopter ride that brought her to the Memorial’s clifftop home. The weather was so atrocious that the pilot bringing The Queen Mother to the unveiling asked if she wanted to turn back. She is said to have told him in no uncertain terms that “her boys” had never turned back and that she wouldn’t do so either. Nearly 22 years later, in March 2015, the weather was nearly as bad when Her Majesty The Queen, accompanied by His Late Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, returned to open the new visitor centre at Capel-le-Ferne, that tells the story of the Battle.
HRH The Princess Royal officially opened Copper Rivet Distillery on the banks of the River Medway in 2017, and now just this month HRH The Prince of Wales visited the distillery to celebrate the launch of the third whisky in Copper Rivet Distillery’s new trio of quintessentially English Masthouse whiskies. You too can try their newest creation now, and take the tour around their stunning distillery – we might add that stopping for lunch in their plush new Pumproom restaurant is way to feel pampered, if not like royalty, for the day!
HRH The Prince of Wales has been Patron of Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust since 2013, and made his third visit to the Kent attraction to celebrate their 2022 visitor season opening and the new exhibition, Diving Deep: HMS Invincible 1744 on 2nd February 2022. This new immersive exhibition showcases objects and findings from the immersive exhibition showcases objects and findings from the Diving Deep: HMS Invincible archaeological excavation, a project which was supported in its infancy by His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh. Also home to the legendary Mary Rose (Henry VIII's favourite ship, no less!) and Lord Nelson's legendary flagship, HMS Victory, there's plenty of royal connections to explore at the Dockyard.
While HRH The Prince of Wales visited Historic Dockyard Chatham, HRH The Duchess of Cornwall was greeted by Dickensian characters as she visited The Guildhall Museum in Rochester, touring their brand new exhibition, "The Making of Mr Dickens". The new exhibition, which opens on 8th February, chronicles the lesser-known side of Dickens’ life including his happy childhood in Chatham, all the way to his return to Kent in Higham near Rochester in his later life.
Continuing on his North Kent tour, HRH The Prince of Wales also visited Elmley Nature Reserve on the Isle of Sheppey to meet with pioneering farmer and conservationist Philip Merricks, and to tour the Estate. His Royal Highness became aware of Elmley through his own deep interest to save the breeding curlews of Dartmoor and made a trip to the Reserve to find out more, first hand, about how land at Elmley is most effectively managed for breeding ground nesting birds. The incredible wildlife experiences are just one of the reasons people flock (if you pardon the pun!) to Elmley – the only nature reserve in the UK you can actually spend the night in – and their gorgeous shepherd huts make for the perfect local escape.
